Kalanchoe plant named &#39;nemo&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Nemo’, characterized by its numerous large dark red-colored flowers; upright, uniform and compact plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark green glossy leaves; early flowering; and excellent postproduction longevity.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘NEMO’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Nemo’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Kalanchoe cultivars with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1998 of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Sumaco, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,151, as the female, or seed, parent with the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Tenorio, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,617, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Nemo was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by terminal vegetative cuttings taken at De Lier, The Netherlands, since 2000 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Nemo has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Nemo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Nemo’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Large and numerous dark red-colored flowers.

2. Upright, uniform and compact plant habit.

3. Freely branching growth habit.

4. Dark green-colored glossy leaves.

5. Early flowering.

6. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Sumaco. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Sumaco in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had stronger roots and leaves than plants of the cultivar Sumaco.

2. Plants ofthe new Kalanchoe flowered earlier than plants of the cultivar Sumaco.

3. Flower color of plants of the new Kalanchoe was darker and more intense than flower color of plants of the cultivar Sumaco.

4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had longer postproduction longevity than plants of the cultivar Sumaco.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Tenorio. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Tenorio in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of the cultivar Tenorio.

2. Plant habit of plants of the new Kalanchoe was more uniform than plant habit of plants of the cultivar Tenorio.

3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Tenorio.

4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had longer postproduction longevity than plants of the cultivar Tenorio.

Plants ofthe new Kalanchoe can also be compared to plants ofthe Kalanchoe cultivar Debbie, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,428. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Debbie in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of the cultivar Debbie.

2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more freely branching than plants of the cultivar Debbie.

3. Plants ofthe new Kalanchoe flowered earlier than plants of the cultivar Debbie.

4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had tighter (not as open) umbels than plants of the cultivar Debbie.

5. Flower color of plants of the new Kalanchoe was darker and more intense than flower color of plants of the cultivar Debbie.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical potted plant of ‘Nemo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and for the description were grown during the autumn in De Lier, The Netherlands, in a glass-covered greenhouse. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures ranged from 20 to 25° C.; night temperatures ranged from 19 to 21° C.; and light levels ranged from 10,000 to 50,000 lux. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 12.5-cm containers and received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about three weeks; plants then received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were about 13 weeks old from an unrooted cutting when the photograph and the description were taken.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

-   Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Nemo.

PARENTAGE

-   Female or seed parent: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Sumaco,     disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,151. -   Male, or pollen, parent: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Tenorio,     disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,617.

PROPAGATION

-   Type cutting: Terminal vegetative cuttings. -   Time to initiate roots:     -   -   Summer.—About 12 days at 21° C.         -   Winter.—About 15 days at 21° C. -   Time to produce a rooted cutting:     -   -   Summer.—About 21 days at 21° C.         -   Winter.—About 28 days at 21° C. -   Root description: Numerous, fine, fibrous, and well-branched.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

-   Form: Upright, uniform and compact plant habit. Very freely     flowering with numerous compound cymes. Inverted triangle with     rounded crown. Appropriate for 10 to 15-cm containers. Crop time:     About 11 to 14 weeks: 3 to 4 weeks under long day/short night     conditions followed by 8 to 10 weeks of short day/long night     conditions. Moderately vigorous growth rate. -   Plant height at flowering: About 17 cm. -   Plant diameter at flowering: About 16 cm. -   Branching habit: Freely branching; typically six to eight lateral     branches develop per plant. Pinching (removal of terminal apex) is     not required but will enhance lateral branch development. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 11 to 14 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 to 6 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 to 3 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—147A. -   Foliage description: Leaves simple, opposite, generally symmetrical.     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 8 to 13 mature leaves and 12 to 18             generative leaves.         -   Length.—About 10 cm.         -   Width.—About 7.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture/—Leathery, glabrous and succulent.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             147A; glossy. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 147A. Venation,             lower surface: 147B.         -   Petiole length.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 3 mm by 7 mm.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.— 147A to 147B.

FLOWER DESCRIPTION

-   Flower type and habit: Single flowers arranged in compound dichasial     cymes that arise from leaf axils. Freely flowering; more than 25     open flowers per lateral branch and more than 150 open flowers per     plant. Flowering continuously for at least seven weeks. Flowers     persistent. Flowers not fragrant. -   Natural flowering season: Plants of the new Kalanchoe initiate and     develop flowers under short day/long night conditions or during the     late autumn/winter/early spring. Flower initiation and development     can also be induced under artificial short day/long night conditions     (at least 14 hours of darkness). -   Time to flower: Under short day/long night photoinductive     conditions, about eight to ten weeks are required. Actual time to     flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and light intensity. -   Post-production longevity: Excellent post-production longevity;     plants maintain good foliage and flower substance for about 43 days     under interior environmental conditions. Individual flowers last     about 18 days on the plant. -   Flower diameter: About 1.8 cm. -   Flower height: About 1.4 cm. -   Flower buds:     -   -   Shape.—Initially oblong, becoming tubular ovoid with             development.         -   Length.—About 1 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 mm.         -   Color.—Initially, 138C, then 41D with development. -   Petals:     -   -   Quantity.—Four fused at base.         -   Length.—About 8.5 mm.         -   Width.—About 5 mm.         -   Aspect.—Flat to slightly upright.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Glabrous, smooth.         -   Color.—When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 45A.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 44C to 44D. -   Sepals:     -   -   Quantity.—Four fused at base.         -   Length.—About 5 mm.         -   Width.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Shape.—Oblong.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Glabrous, smooth.         -   Color, upper and lower surfaces.—137D. -   Peduncles:     -   -   Length.—About 3 to 8 mm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Texture.—Smooth, leathery.         -   Color.—138C. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: Eight. Anther shape: Elliptic;             flat. Anther size: About 0.3 mm. Anther color: Close to             150D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12A.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: Four. Style length: About             1 mm. Style color: 138D. Stigma shape: Flat, rounded. Stigma             color: 8D. Ovary color: 138D.         -   Seed.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.05 mm. Color:             Close to 166C.

DISEASE/PEST RESISTANCE

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Kalanchoes.

TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been observed to tolerate low temperatures of 16° C. and high temperatures of 35° C.

GARDEN PERFORMANCE

Plants of the new Kalanchoe perform have been observed to perform well in the garden and are tolerant to rain and wind. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named ‘Nemo’, as illustrated and described. 